How to get into Macalester
What 69 admitted applicants actually had: their grades, test scores, activities, awards and intended majors, counted from 105 Macalester results that students posted for the 2018 to 2027 cycles. Every number below is counted, not estimated.
Applying to Macalester? Book a free call with a Specialist to see how your student’s file compares.
Macalester admits by the numbers
Median unweighted GPA
3.91
Middle half 3.80 to 3.98
Median SAT
1,500
Middle half 1,430 to 1,550
Median ACT
34
Middle half 32 to 34
Median weighted GPA
4.46
Middle half 4.20 to 4.60
Results posted: 69 admitted, 25 rejected, 11 waitlisted. People who post results are a self-selected group, so this is not the Macalester acceptance rate; the official rate is in Macalester’s Common Data Set.
Admitted vs. rejected: grades are not the difference
| Median | Admitted | Rejected |
|---|---|---|
| Unweighted GPA | 3.91 | 3.91 |
| SAT | 1,500 | 1,510 |
When the rejected applicants’ numbers sit this close to the admitted ones, the decision was made somewhere else in the file: the activities, the essays and the letters. That is where the rest of this page looks.
What Macalester admits did outside class
Share of admitted applicants listing at least one activity of each type.
- Nonprofit/Service71%
- Work/Job38%
- Athletics36%
- Internship33%
- Tutoring/Teaching33%
- Debate/MUN/Speech32%
- Advocacy/Politics30%
- Music28%
Held a leadership role
91%
Founded something
51%
National or intl. award
61%
Did research
28%
Early vs. regular decision at Macalester
- Early (31 results)84%
- Regular (33 results)67%
Share of posters in each round who were admitted. Early applicants are a different group (often stronger and more certain), so read this as a description of these posts, not as odds.
Intended majors of Macalester admits
- Political Science12%
- Economics9%
- Environmental9%
- Computer Science7%
- History7%
- International Relations7%
Who got in
Of the admitted posters, 20% first-generation, 25% low income, 23% underrepresented minority, 13% legacy, 1% recruited athlete and 7% international.
Three recent Macalester admits
2027 cycle · Chemistry
Rural painter and mock trial attorney with NHS leadership and sustained community volunteering.
GPA 3.98 UW · SAT 1580 · Original post
2026 cycle · RD · Public Policy
Low-income Southern musician and student leader with QuestBridge and Gates recognition, aiming at policy and urban studies.
GPA 4.00 UW · ACT 36 · Original post
2026 cycle · RD · Public Policy
Musician and service-driven student with viola leadership, church roles, and QuestBridge finalist status.
GPA 4.00 UW · ACT 36 · Original post
Where else Macalester admits got in
Macalester admissions questions
- What GPA do you need to get into Macalester?
- Among 69 applicants who posted a Macalester admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 3.91 and the middle half reported 3.80 to 3.98 (57 reported a GPA). Macalester sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.
- What SAT score do you need for Macalester?
- Among 69 applicants who posted a Macalester admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,500 and the middle half scored 1,430 to 1,550 (46 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 34.
- Does applying early help at Macalester?
- In these posts, 84% of early applicants who reported a result were admitted (26 of 31), against 67% in regular decision (22 of 33). Early pools differ in who applies, so this is a description, not a promise.
- What extracurriculars do Macalester admits have?
- The most common activity types among admitted posters were nonprofit/service (71%), work/job (38%), athletics (36%), internship (33%). 91% held at least one leadership role and 61% listed a national or international award.
- What is the Macalester acceptance rate?
- The official rate is published by Macalester in its Common Data Set. These pages do not compute one: people who post results are a self-selected group, so the share of admits among them is far higher than the real rate.
Applying to Macalester?
A Specialist who got into a school like Macalester can read your student’s file against these numbers and say where it stands out and where it doesn’t.
Source: self-reported results posts on r/collegeresults, each linked from our Database, counted across the 2018 to 2027 cycles with transfer applicants excluded. Aristo Scholars is not affiliated with Macalester. All colleges